The Empty House
by sword 106
Summary: After winning the 74th Annual Hunger Games, Peeta is lonelier than ever. He lives in his giant house all alone and the person he thought was his friend has become a hermit. However, Gale and he quickly become close and one drunken night they find out whom they both like. How will Gale help with the loneliness? PeetaxGale. Strong language, lemons, and other mature themes.
1. Chapter 1

I am at home laying in bed in my house located in Victor's Village; a sketch pad propped up on my raised thighs, illuminated by a single lap on my night stand. The image of the lavish (and malevolent) Capital coming to life, the cameras were coming soon to check on the Star-Crossed Lovers so I thought an ass kissing sketch would please the audience. 'Scoff' I role my eyes at the thought of there being Star-Crossed Lovers, Katniss and I knew we had to do everything we could to survive so us being in love was something of an exit strategy. Something that can help us survive and win, the additional bonus being we both were able to win.

Katniss was incapable of loving anyone other than her family and I'm unable to love a woman. I've been gay since... well forever, I think my abusive mother kinda made me subconsciously turned off from women and if you think about it, it's the best thing for a District 12 citizen. No children means one less contender for the games, and I know first hand how absolutely horrifying an experience that is. The fucking Hunger Games... you'd think we had learn our 'punishment' by now after the first games and the constant starvation and poverty. But anyway, that's not the problem, my damn problem is having to be completely infatuated with Katniss again. I don't know, but ever since the games I've just been so... I guess bitter would be the most accurate word. Or just easily aggravated, either way, I'm not teeming with happiness.

Katniss barely talks to me and stays constantly barricaded in her house, my mother refused to move in with me so that means my indifferent father and powerless brothers stayed with her, and to top it all off, I haven't received a full or peaceful sleep in weeks. They're constantly plagued with the visions of mutts ripping Cato into parts or the careers impaling me with various weapons or just blood curdling screams... But it's ok, Haymitch doesn't go to sleep by the time I wake up most of the time so I go over to his house. He knows the feeling of waking up in an empty house due to a nightmare and not having anyone to calm him down. And he's pretty funny when you get as drunk as he gets.

Katniss has made a point to let me know that she is displeased with my drinking and newfound cursing habit. I always tell her that I'll work on it, but I don't. I finish the basic outline of my sketch and decide to do the coloring tomorrow, those Capitol dumb asses will absolutely go ape shit for this. Anything that a victor does the fans eat it all up, and I've been shipping off some of my paintings and sketches over there to be auctioned. Not like I need the money, I have more than what to do with, and I'm the only one I'm able to spend it on. God forbid I try to purchase some damn flour for my family, mommy dearest refuses to have anything to do with me, including my money. But anyway, these Capitol retards pay a fortune for my paintings, my 'love' story and recent victory means that everyone wants a Mellark.

'Sigh' I place my sketch book on my night stand and turn the lamp off. I lay face down on my pillow, I place my arm under it and feel the sheathed knife I keep under there. I know it's stupid, but I feel safer knowing its there, it's the same way I slept during the games.

I wake up right when the sun is rising, my nightmare wasn't too bad, just the Careers and me hunting someone down, at least I wasn't the one delivering the final blow. I throw the covers off of myself and head over to the window, I love sunsets and sunups. I open the window and breathe in a breath of freezing fresh air, I say the best part of living up here is that the air seems to be unpolluted by the coal soot. I go downstairs and have a quick breakfast before I do my morning routine of showering and brushing my teeth. I get dressed for the hike I trek on every morning, I try to go as much as possible to go into the forest before the snowy season starts to hit. The forest is one of the few places where I get any real inspiration. I slip on some rugged khakis and a pair of leather boots. I place a black tee over my head and a leather jacket that matches the boots. I grab a back pack and fill it with pencils and various coloring utensils for my sketch book and pack some trail mix and jerky for the trip.

Everything I buy is all District 12 bought. Most of the other Victor's, I've heard, buys directly from the Capitol. Plus, I feel weird buying anything that isn't District 12, like I'm turning my back on them. I have a shit ton of money so feel like I should try to help out anyway I can for my destitute district, which means that I usually pay 500 to 1,000 percent above asking price whenever I purchase anything from the hob or any other establishment. Greasy Sae hates it, but I just play and she takes the money anyway.

I approach the fence and hear for any buzz of electricity, it's still mute as ever. The Peacekeepers honestly couldn't give less of a shit about what we do, I guess it's due to us knowing our places. Everyone here is just trying to live one day at a time, so we all know not to start up trouble. Well I am about to technically break out of the district, and I know these are hunting grounds for Katniss and Gale, so I guess most of us know not to cause trouble.

I tart my trek through the forest, it seems to be teeming with early morning life from all the scurrying and bustling I see. Looks like everything's getting ready for the winter. I love the forest, if it wasn't for the games I would have never gotten the balls to go past the fence and adventure around. It's like a whole other world out here, and that's why I get so inspired to draw out here. I'm not surrounded with the depressed looks of the average citizen, I don't have to look at the faces of starving children or the mothers that try to sell their bodies to the Peacekeepers. It's just pure Mother Nature out here, there aren't any games here, there aren't any signs of depression or detritus homes out here. It's just open land, as far as the eye can see.

I sit for a moment, that's another thing about becoming a Victor, I always feel wrong about having all this money and living in such an extravagant house. Because I was one of those starving children not too long ago, I know how it feels eat so little for so long without knowing where the next meal came. I remember when I would just stare at the bread downstairs waiting for it to go bad so we could take it off the shake eps and eat it. The worst part is whenever I try to help my district, I'm swiftly shut down. I tried opening up my own bakery where the bread would cost next to nothing, to the point where I would have to pay for everything with my winnings, so everyone in the district can always afford something treat. But after I filed the business license, the Capitol gave some lame ass excuse and tore up the license.

I stand up and start deeper into the woods, no use dwelling in the past. I Hike aimlessly through the forest for a couple of hours, placing a small arrow on an exposed root of tree, indicating what I should walk when I walk back. After a few more kilometers I find a clearing with a small creek, I decide this is where I'll eat and and draw for a little bit before I head back. The clearing was beautiful, the autumn leaves were scattered all around, giving the landscape a red hue, and there were still some flowered in full bloom, clearly not affected by the chilly weather. Then, out of nowhere, I hear the rustling of bushes and I jump, the tribute in me still on high alert no meter what. I hide behind a tree, knife in hand, waiting for something to show itself. I watch as when a small group of deer walked out onto the clearing.

I walk back in front of the tree to get a good look, I start drawing as fast as possible, I want to remember this. There were two does, a deer, and a small calf heading for the creek. They all bowed their heads to drink some of the water, it was somewhat heart warming seeing this. Then I heard the all too familiar wishing of an arrow, followed by e horrifying a sound a skull makes when impaled by a weapon. I close my eyes, remembering the girls face when she made a fire in the middle of he night, making her the first person I had to kill so to prove myself to the careers. I look up to see the small calf limp on the grown and the mature deers fleeing the sight. Of course something beautiful died, it's Panem.

"Damn, I should've gotten the bigger one" I look to my left to find the source of the voice. I role my eyes and groan, of all the fucking... it's Gale fucking Hawthorne, how can someone so hot be so damn insufferable is beyond me. He's another one I can't stand. Ever since I returned he's been a giant prick, he always has some back handed comment directed towards me. Like I'm the one that wanted to go to the games and win, like I'm the one that wanted to be madly in love with Katniss and made her turn into a hermit. Well, I can't help the love part... in a sense, but Gale is still an asshole. And lately he's been a lot worse and it's bringing me closer and closer to my breaking point.

I bend down and grab my sketch from where I dropped it, I have the basic outline of all the deers, so at least the image isn't ruined. I looked up at the sky, nowhere near noon yet. "We'll if it isn't the princess of District 12. What brings her royal majesty out here?" Is he serious? "Up yours Gale." His only response was a throaty laugh while taking the arrow out the calf's skull.

I pack up quickly and start to walk away, I didn't get enough sleep to deal with his shit. "Leaving so soon? Don't leave on account of my lowly status." He said while giving bow. I ignored him and started looking for the arrow I drew around here. "Oh what? Princess doesn't have anything to say, sure talked a lot when you ditched Katniss for those careers and when you killed for them.

I whipped around "Excuse me?" I started stomping towards, I'm so fucking livid, he's gone too far. "You heard me" he said with that shit eating smirk I can't stand. "I said you sure do talk a lot when you're turning your back on your own district, even when you talked about your love for her". That's it, I lunged at him and tackled him to the ground. He got a few food hits in, but lifting 100 pound flour bags for 17 years I'm bound to have some strong arms. We role around a little bit more and I end up on top of him, straddling his arms with my knees, just like how the trainers taught me. He's glaring me while I take his collar, lift him and slam his head on the ground.

"Listen! I don't know what's been up your ass since I got here, but you've been pissing me off ever since I've returned. I joined the Careers so to get them away from Katniss. Damn it Gale, you think I wanted to be with them? You think I wanted to be some murderer? I hated every moment of it, I hated myself for it!" I don't know when, but I notice there're tears sliding down my face. I swing my fist but aim for the ground next to his face "Gale, you don't know a damn thing, there is so much more going on then you realize, and I don't need you up my ass making my life more of a fucking hell than it already is."

I look at his face, a bruise forming on his chin and a busted lip. He looks shocked at my words, and all I can do is look at those misty grey eyes. I love those damn eyes, and I can see my reflection in them too they're so clear; I have small amount of blood coming out my nostril and a bruise on my cheek.

He whispers my "Peeta" but I get up and walk away. I grab my bag, I guess it fell off from the tackle, and I find the arrows I drew to guide me on my return.

A/N: I just wanted to take the time to explain some stuff. I'm tired of reading other stories about Peeta being some week damsel in distress. He's a man damn it, just because in the book he's in love and is intelligent doesn't mean he's some frail boy. Also, in this story he didn't lose his leg. Katniss still participates with Peeta and Gale but she's more concerned with staying home with her family and that obviously pisses the boys off. I'm going to try to follow the story line as much as possible some things are obviously going to have to change.

So please review, leave me comments, suggestions, concerns, or even corrections. Thanks for reading! Oh, and I'll try to update as much as possible, but school works is constantly bashing my head against a wall.


	2. Chapter 2

I sit on my couch, flipping through channels with a bottle of white liquor in my hand. Gale's words from the other day still bounce around in my head. I didn't want to admit it, but what he said was true. I did ditch Katniss for the Careers, I even went as far as to kill for them; multiple times! And when they said that two people could win, somewhere in my gut I knew that it was a ploy to make the games more interesting. It was just too good to be true, and Katniss and I played right into their hands. 'Chuckle,' back fired on those motherfuckers. I take a swig and frown, now the Capitol is up mine and Katniss's ass.

'Sigh,' after my fight with Gale, I went straight home and I haven't left all day yesterday and today. The minuscule chance of bumping into Gale or Karniss was too great for me to handle. I take the last swig of the liquor and toss the bottle to the other side of the couch with the other empty bottles. I do my best to get up without tripping over the coffee table and go upstairs to take a piss. I look outside the bathroom and notice that it's pouring rain outside. I love the smell of rain, I decide to open the window and let the rain water soak my legs and feet.

I make my downstairs and hear a knocking at my door, I try to walk faster but my wet feet cause me to slip and fall down the last five steps. I end up hitting my chin on the floor and my head on the table leg in the hall. I guess the person outside heard the fall and starting knocking furiously and finally turned the knob to let themselves in. I feel the visitors hands wrap under my arms and lift me up and I'm met with those damn grey eyes.

I shove his strong chest and let myself slam onto the wall behind me. "Leggo uh'me" that bastard made me think of my sins, he can go fuck himself. He covers his face with his hand "Why do you smell like Haymitch? What've you been drinking?" I ignore his questions and try to walk my way back to the living, Gale following suite. I grab an unopened bottle of white liquor and plop myself down on the couch. "I tried looking for you yesterday, I checked the Hob and Greasy Sae said she hasn't seen you."

"Welp, ju'found me" I say while opening the liquor. "Now wadya want?" He gave me a pissed off look "I came here to apologize damn it." I sobered up real quick at that. I look at him incredulously while he takes a seat next to me. I finally notice what he's wearing, he's soaking wet in a coal miner's uniform with black smudges on his face and hands. "I spoke to Katniss yesterday and she told me some of what happened, and it had me thinking." Gale looked sincere, and I know this is taking a huge bite out of his pride, so I do the best thing I could at the moment, I hand him bottle and let him take a sip.

"And?" "And you were right, I didn't know anything. Katniss told me there are a lot of things happening ever since you two won." So I guess Katniss didn't tell him much, good, the last thing we need is Gale being sucked into this mess. I get up, "Lemme take your coat." He gets up and strips off his coat showing his biceps and broad shoulders, swinging a pick axe all day must be good exercise. I put it in the hall closet and sit back down on the couch. "Where is everyone?" He asked me after taking another sip. "Excuse me?" "Your family, I passed the bakery and it was closed, I would've thought you guys were a dry family." I grab the bottle and take a gulp, there isn't enough alcohol in the world to deal with my family.

"They're not here cause they're at home." I'm received with a confused look. "What do you mean? Like they didn't move with you?" I shrug "Yea."' He looks even more confused and he wasn't going to drop the subject anytime so so I cut him off "Weren't you here to apologize or something?" He grabs the bottle and takes another sip. "Uhm, I just wanted to say sorry for being an ass the other, it's just... Ever since you and Katniss got back you two, especially her, have been so secluded. Me and her use to hang out all the time and whenever I'm free we end up not hanging out." I let him take another sip before I take the bottle.

What the fuck? He's mad Katniss wants to play ghost and he wants to be an asshole towards me? "So you're mad at her and took it out on me?" He looked down "kinda, I guess I was blaming you for her, and I guess I was mad cause I thought you two would be happy when you got back and we would, I don't know, hang out." I scoff at what he said, happy? I wish! Katniss doesn't even make an effort to speak to me and I'm over here having a pity party for myself half the time.

"What? I was being serious!" He looked irritated at my scoff, I sigh, take a sip, and place the bottle on the coffee table. "Ever since we g'back, Katniss n' I might have spoken five sentences to each other. The love thing, in the games, was crap. We jus'wanted sponsors. And dah nightlock stunt was cause we didn't wanna kill each other." I said trying not to slur my words but failed miserably. From the look on his face, it looks like this is enlightening for him.

"Then why aren't you guys at least speaking to each other?" I shrug again "If I knew, Ida tell you." "And why can't you guys just break up on tv or something? Doesn't the Capitol eat that celebrity thing up?" I wish it was that simple "Haymitch said that Snow saw the nightlock as an act of treason, we convinced er'one that it was cause love."

Gale took the bottle from the table and took a gulp "Thats horrible, you have to be in a relationship with someone you don't love. I fucking hate the Capitol" he started getting agitated, I'm not sure if its from the liquor or his disdain. "Listen, no one's more pissed than me, but I just wanna keep mah head low and try ta survive at least through the winter."

Gale stared at the now empty bottle, deep in thought. Then he swung his head towards me "And you?" I raised an eyebrow at him while I take the bottle from him and add it to the pile. I laid myself against the arm chair so I can spread my limbs "Whaddya mean?" He scooted closer to me "Whaddya mean whad I mean? I don't see you socializing a lot and you live all by yourself in this big house. How do you feel about all this?" That's one hell of a loaded question.

"Does it matter? Whatever I feel?" It's true isn't it? I can scream and cry all I want, but it's not like my parents are going to move in with and the Capitol isn't going to think any less of me if I ask nicely. I felt the cushions move around and saw Gale scoot in between my sprawled out legs and got face to face with me, the smell of white liquor radiating from his mouth "That's a bullshit answer and you know it. You're just too much of a pussy to admit it, you're mad." At this point Gale got closer to me, forcing me to slide under him while he hovers over me. "You're mad as a hell and you're too much of a fucking pussy to do anything, you'd rather hide in your house and do your girly ass paintings than to be a fucking man."

"Oh yea, and what the fuck do you want me to do Gale!" I say while forcefully pushing his chest so we're both sitting up, ignoring the spinning in my head. He has that fucking smirk I hate "Fight me" I cock my head back. "What?" "I said fight me, or are you gonna stay a bitch?" My rational side tells me that he's just doing this so he could try to win round two but my drunk irrational side already grabbed his shirt and threw him in the floor with me on top of him.

We went back and forth, rolling around, trying to get the upper hand. I'm drunk as all hell so I'm unable to even know which way is up as we both swing, giving Gale the upper hand. Tables, chairs, and vases crash onto the floor, accompanying the sound of grunts and our fists meeting each other's faces.

The fight finally ended with him on top with my arms pinned over my head. I look and I'm only met by those beautiful grey Seam eyes, I can feel his breath on my face as he looked down at me. The he did the most unexpected thing, he kissed me. I tensed at first, shocked by the initial contact. I don't now to describe or to compare it to, the only time I've ever kissed anyone was Katniss in a dark, damp cave. It felt...good, I didn't want it to stop.

Then, before I realized it, he pulled back. This might be the liquor making the decision, but I wanted more. I've been so deprived of contact ever since my return, and I wasn't about to let this slip away. I quickly strained my neck forward and crashed my lips onto Gale's, he seemed shocked by this as he let go of my hands, but he quickly recovered and runs his hands through my hair. I wrap my arms around his waist and I lay flat on the floor. I feel his tongue lick my bottom lip, asking for entrance, and I allow it. We battle for dominance a little but I'm too drunk to put up much of a fight.

We make out until we're both out of breath, he pulls back and we look at each other, both of us basically panting for air. He took off his shirt and threw it across the room and all I can do is stare at his body. He had a body of an athlete, probably from all these years of hunting and running. I grab the back of his neck and slam him on my lips, we roll over and in on top, he takes the bottom of my shirt and pulls it over my head, causing us to break contact for second. We quickly kiss again and I can feel his hands roaming my back and then my chest. He lightly pushes up causing me to sit up on his waist.

"Who knew the little baker bitch had a body." He chuckled at his own comment but I ignore it. "I thought you liked Katniss" I liked what was happening but I couldn't help but be curious. One minute we were literally fighting and the next we're making out, I didn't even know he was into guys. "I never said I liked her, I just care for her. I didn't like you cause I thought you took her away from me, and it turns out you were just protecting her." "So is this your way of thanking me or what?" I ask, I'm just trying to figure this out. He barked wi laughter at my question "do you usually get thank yous as an attempted fuck?" I got off of him to stand up "Well shit Gale, tell me what's happening. The other day you couldn't look at me without wanting to murder me and now we're basically dry humping each other."

He stayed laying down on the floor "Like I said, I thought you took my best friend in the world away from me. So I was pissed, I wanted to get back at you. And I guess I was mad at you cause I thought I lost you too. I said those things to you to convince myself that you were a shitty person." I'm even more confused now "Why were you trying to convince yourself that I was a shitty person?" He got up and stood in front of me "Because believe it or not, I really like. I've had for over a year now." This was way too much for me now, my head started to spin and standing became a challenge. Then I started to feel something building behind my throat, I run to the first floor bathroom and release my insides into the toilet. Gale came in and started rubbing my back.

He helps me up and I rinse my mouth out with mouth wash and water. "I think that's enough with the liquor for tonight." Gale said. I walk past him and plop myself down on the couch. He goes into the kitchen and comes back with a glass of water, he hands it to me and I gladly accept. He sits down on the side of the couch and he sits sprawled, showing off his toned body. I avert my eyes and stare at the glass, "How long did you like me?" "Over a year ago I guess, Katniss told me how you helped her that one time, and after that I've started noticing some of the things you've done. You're always nice and helping other people. You always got your dad to trade more for my squirrels even when he we already agreed on a smaller trade.

"Then you went into the games with her and you did the whole love gimmick. I hated you for not talking about me when you said there was someone at home. Then I saw how quickly you joined those damn Careers, i hated that so much. And when you two got back you both stayed away from the Seam. You two were always home and I thought Katniss me abandoned because you kept her all to yourself. That's why I was so royally pissed when I saw the two of you together."

I'm still looking at the glass, it all weirdly made sense. He hated me cause he liked me and couldn't have me. That pissed me off, I shot up and threw the rest of my water at him, ignoring the vertigo running through my head "Thats selfish and fucked up. You really hurt me you know, and I hated you" he quickly got too, wiping the water off his face. "I know it was fucked, and I was selfish, and you should hate me. I really wanted to hurt you and I feel like shit for doing it." He walked forward and pulled me into a hug "I really like you, the thought of you not wanting me made me want to burn the district down and I took it out you. I really care for you, can you please forgive me?"

I hugged him back, and I don't know what happened, but I started crying into his shoulder. A wave of emotion hit me, all I could think about was moving and living without any family or friends in an empty house and feeling like I was completely alone in the world. Then out of nowhere, Gale admits he really likes me. The first person in a very long time to show me genuine affection. I lift my head, wipe my tears and kissed him. He puts his hands around my waist and pulled me closer into the kiss. I felt him ask for entrance and I let him in.

The kiss depends and we walk towards the couch and fall on it, me on top him. I feel his hands run through my hair again I absolutely love it. I feel myself harden as we slowly grind on each other, all I can feel is sparks of electricity shoot up my spine. I've never done anything like this, and it feels fantastic. He leaves my lips and I feel him traveling down my jaw line and onto my neck. All I can do is moan while he sucks and licks at my collar bone.

He quickly flips me over and starts to travel down from neck to my chest, his fingers wrap around one of my nipples and his covers another. He alternates between nipples and I feel like I'm on cloud nine. He keeps at this for a few more minutes until he starts to travel even lower, I can feel his tongue dipping into each crevice if my abs, leaving a chill from the trail of saliva. He got to the waistband of my pajama shorts and slowly pulls them off. "Wait, Gale." He stops and looks up at me, concern showing in his grey eyes. "I can barely see straight, I don't think this is a good idea" he nodded and got back to my eye level. "I'm sorry, I guess I got caught up in the moment."

I pulled up my shorts and sat up, Gale got up and took my hand. "C'mon, let's get you to bed, it looks like you haven't slept in days anyway." I let him pull me up and we go up the stairs and into my bedroom. I swipe my sketching instruments off my bed and go under the sheets, Gale following in with me, wrapping an arm around. I turn around and burrow myself into his sachets and fall asleep. And I can honestly say that it was the first time in a long time that I had a good nights sleep.

I thought about writing a lemon, but I though it would be too soon. So please review, comment, follow, lemme know if you hate love it or give me suggestions. Thanks for reading!


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